Hot Tubs, Saunas and Fireplaces for Crystal Downs, MI Homes
Phillips Lifestyles sells, installs and services hot tubs, swim spas, saunas, fireplaces, fireplace inserts and pellet stoves for homeowners in Crystal Downs, Michigan. The family-owned company has served Northern Michigan since 1980 from two showrooms in the Traverse City area. Crystal Downs is roughly 35 miles west of Traverse City. For a home on the bluff between Crystal Lake and Lake Michigan, the team can recommend the right products, install them properly and look after them for years.
About Crystal Downs
Crystal Downs is a private club community in Lake Township, on high ground with Lake Michigan on one side and Crystal Lake on the other. Its golf course was designed in 1929 by Alister MacKenzie and Perry Maxwell and hosted the U.S. Senior Amateur in 1991. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is close by, and Frankfort is the nearest town for supplies.
Only a few dozen people live here year-round. Most homes are summer residences, many of them architect-designed and sited for the view. Owners tend to arrive in late spring and stay into the fall, and they expect the house to be ready when they walk in.
The area has two peak seasons, summer and ski season, with quiet weeks between. Homes need to perform in both, staying comfortable for a crowd in January as easily as in July.
For a property like this, the questions are about fit and finish as much as function: where a spa can sit without spoiling a sightline, how a fireplace suits the room, and who looks after everything between visits.
Hot Tubs for Crystal Downs Homes
After skiing, golf or a long day on the trails, a hot tub is the amenity that gets used first and most. Phillips Lifestyles carries Hot Spring, Caldera Spas, Jacuzzi, Nordic, Sundance and Marquis, which you can browse on the hot tubs page. The range runs from compact models such as the Hot Spring Jetsetter LX to the seven-person Hot Spring Grandee.
Choosing is easier with two free services. Book a test soak at a showroom, bring a suit and a towel, and compare seats and jets in the water. Then schedule a free in-home consultation. A team member measures your space, confirms the cover and lifter have room to open, reviews the delivery route and helps match cabinet and shell colors to your home. Wiring is handled by approved electrical contractors, and startup and fill are included.
For swimmers, swim spas from Endless Pools provide an adjustable current for exercise in a fraction of the space a pool needs.
Saunas, a Northern Michigan Tradition
Sauna culture runs deep in Michigan. Phillips Lifestyles offers saunas from Finnleo and Tylo in traditional and infrared styles, plus outdoor units such as the Finnleo Patio Series. For a one-of-a-kind space, the Traverse City Sauna Company, part of the Phillips Lifestyles team, builds custom saunas. Craftsmen Don Ruff and Chris Champt can design around a basement, a bathroom addition or a spot in the yard.
Fireplaces, Inserts and Pellet Stoves
A fire is the heart of any vacation home, and today's fireplaces deliver real heat as well as atmosphere. Phillips Lifestyles sells and installs gas, wood, pellet and electric models from Heat & Glo, Quadra-Fire, Napoleon, Enviro and Mendota. The fireplaces and inserts page shows the range, including gas fireplaces such as the Novus nXt.
A fireplace insert slides into an existing masonry fireplace and turns it into an efficient heater. The Quadra-Fire Castile pellet insert is rated at 30,600 BTUs and heats 700 to 1,800 square feet. Freestanding pellet stoves give the same steady, thermostat-controlled heat without an existing fireplace.
Phillips Lifestyles has its own installers. Rob Horton leads the fireplace crew, working with Randy Johnson, Jason Jones and Ron Magee. For background, read the blog guide on how to choose a fireplace insert.
How a Project Works, Step by Step
Most projects follow the same path. You visit a showroom or send an inquiry. For a spa, staff arrange a test soak and then a free in-home consultation; requests made through the website are answered within 24 hours. Once you choose a model, the delivery crew brings it to the site, approved electrical contractors complete the wiring, and Phillips Lifestyles fills and starts the spa. Fireplaces and stoves begin with a site visit to check venting and clearances, followed by installation by the in-house crew.
For a vacation or rental property, choose equipment that is simple for guests to use and easy to lock, and set up maintenance before the busy season starts. Leave clear written instructions near the spa and the fireplace controls.
Service and Spa Care
Homes that sit empty midweek or host rental guests need dependable upkeep. Phillips Lifestyles installs and maintains hot tubs, swim spas, fireplaces and game tables; the services page has the full list.
The Spa Maintenance Program sends a technician weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks. Each visit includes testing and balancing the water, wiping down the spa, cleaning the cover inside and out, removing debris and swapping in a clean set of filters. If something needs repair, submit a service request online and the service team will follow up.
Game Rooms, Grills and More
Phillips Lifestyles also carries billiard and game tables from Brunswick and Olhausen, including shuffleboard, foosball and air hockey. There are premium grills for the deck and massage chairs for the den. Everything can be seen in person at the showrooms.
A Family-Owned Company Since 1980
Phillips Lifestyles has served Northern Michigan for more than 45 years. Owners Dennis and Debbie Riedel moved their family to the Traverse City area to take over the business and continue its community-minded approach, and Ryan Gubbins is general manager. The About Us page introduces the whole staff.
You will work with experienced people. Tony Fifarek is lead sales associate and head mechanical consultant, Tyler Hanna manages the Cherryland store, and Kenny Smith and Wesley Bonesteel round out the sales floor. Behind them are a warehouse and delivery crew and a service department led by Jim Eddy.
Frequently Asked Questions from Crystal Downs Country Club Homeowners
Can Phillips Lifestyles place a hot tub without blocking my lake view at Crystal Downs?
That is what the free in-home consultation is for. A Phillips Lifestyles team member visits the property, measures the site and recommends a model, position and cover lifter that keep sightlines to Crystal Lake or Lake Michigan open.
Where are the Phillips Lifestyles showrooms?
Phillips Lifestyles has two showrooms: Chums Corner at 5161 US-31, Grawn, MI 49637, and Cherryland at 1151 W South Airport Road, Traverse City, MI 49686. Both are open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday visits by appointment.
Can I use a hot tub all winter in Northern Michigan?
Yes. Modern hot tubs are insulated for year-round use, and many owners use them most in winter. A fitted cover, a cover lifter and a clear path through the snow make cold-weather soaking easy.
Does Phillips Lifestyles install the fireplaces and stoves it sells?
Yes. Phillips Lifestyles employs its own fireplace installation crew, led by Rob Horton, and installs gas, wood, pellet and electric fireplaces, inserts and stoves across Northern Michigan.
Start with a Conversation
Call (231) 888-0721 for the Chums Corner showroom or (231) 412-1884 for Cherryland, or send a message. If you have a model in mind, the product inquiry form is the fastest way to get details. From Crystal Downs, both showrooms are an easy trip when you are next in Traverse City.